अध्याय ९ — कर्णस्य प्रहारः, योधयुग्मनियोजनम्, शैनेय-कैकेययोर्युद्धविन्यासः
मद्रराजो महेष्वास: शल्य: समितिशोभन:
madrarājo maheṣvāsaḥ śalyaḥ samitiśobhanaḥ
Vaiśampāyana nói: Vua xứ Madra, Śalya—một cung thủ đại tài, rực rỡ giữa cơn xung trận—đã hiện diện nơi ấy.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
The verse foregrounds the ideal of kṣatriya excellence—royal responsibility joined with martial capability—while implicitly reminding that in war, even celebrated virtues like prowess and fame operate within morally complex circumstances shaped by allegiance and duty.
The narrator identifies Śalya, the Madra king, describing him as a mighty archer and a figure who shines in battle—an introductory characterization that prepares the reader for his active role in the unfolding combat of the Karṇa Parva.